Wichita eagle., 1887-11-25
1ai1Y eagle
A NIHILISTIC FAMILY.
An AMERICAN TOURISTS INTERVIEW
=, WITH STUDENT SVETLOFf.

A Little Lady's Passionate and Revolu-
tionary outburst-A Strange Kind of
Piano Music-Warnings of an Anxious
Mother-Put in Prison.
My first visit was to a student named Svet-
loft. l found him in bed. He received me
very suspiciously, but after reading the letter
l handed him he changed his tone and in
vited me to sit down. 1t was a regular dwell
ing of bachelor. The shoe brush lay at one
end of the room; books, pamphlets and
papers were scattered around the floor :,
shirts, collars, and various pieces Of clothing
occupied a number of chairs, and half
dozen empty wine bottles and glasses, rem
pants of caviar and cheese, left no free space
on the table The host asked 10 be excused.
He would not change his habits for a mo-
ment, be said, for anybody in the world. and
he would feel sick and unhappy all day if he
neglected his toilet. A party Of friends came
together in his room the night before and had
good time, be added, pointing at ths empty
wine bottles. He spoke French, Of course
he readily excused me for not having the
least knowledge of his native tongue
A sturdy young fellow, a servant brought
in a huge Tub and filed it with cold water |
arose to go, but Mr.. Svetloff kept me back,
saying need not feel uneasy and might con
slider myself at home He plunged himself
in the tub, remained there for awhile and
then he proceeded to make up his toilet
Finally, fresh ami smiling, he reached me
his hand, Offering to become friends.
At noon We left his room to visit family
named Choudzin, to whom also had a letter
of introduction. We were received by a
young lady of striking beauty and ami
ability
Lima Eikolayevna Choudzin,r said nv
Nihilistic friend, unceremoniously, introduc-
ing US. She gave me her little hand. and a
sweet, happy smile beamed from her dark
blue eyes as she heard my name pronounced.
Plainly dressed, with a profusion OF flowing
brown hair, rosy checked face and fault
less frame, she looked picture of grace and
ioveliness
$50 you are an Americana free born
American" exclaimed the little lady. "An
American tourist you are. l never saw an
American in my life. l am glad they are so
good looking. Mamma and we all will be
extremely happy TO dine with an American
gentleman"
II seemed as though the stream Of words
from the mouth of my hostess would never
cease to flow. got confused, and attempted
to return the compliment and to excuse nv
self that | came Just at dinner time But the
young lady unceremoniously put my arm in
hers and ushered me into the parlor, where
she introduced me to her mother. a venerable
Ole lady, and tben successfully TO her three
brothers. a dinner party so merry l never
attended in my life l felt myself perfectly
at home. Lima, who sat next to me. was
dashing in her witty remarks and pointed
questions. Svetloff was sarcastic and spoke
always to the point the old lady all the
time sought to tame her talkative daughter,
calling her 10 order at every bold question
she put. The young men-Lina's brothers.
were not less inquisitive. Lima overwhelmed
me with questions. had to tell her what |
knew about the social, political and economic
conditions Of women in America, name her
our eminent female orators and champions Of
women's rights, our female writers. doctors
and cashiers, our actresses and other women
of fame, and explain our school system with
women as distributors of knowledge and
light. She listened eagerly to mt answers
and explanations, and, suddenly thanking
me for the patience with which listened and
Acl'AASt W hoi RNSSbltLS. SilS BIOhe OUT WIN
her eyes sparkling, and ignoring the caution
ing appeals OF her mother: THAT is what we
don't have and want to have here. Are we.
perhaps, worse than your American womena
They are queens, they enjoy life, indepen-
denee, liberty; we are slaves. doomed to end
our lives in dungeons or Siberia"
Svetlof applauded the passionate out
burst, tho young ChoudzinS ironically leaned
over the table to shake hands with their little
sister, while the mother, all confused, tried
TO excuse her Lima is so fOrgetful," she
said; Il fear her rashness viii bring her one
dag into trouble" Svetloff assured the old
lady that ! was an American, not a member
of the imperial detective force who would
give her daughter away. Mime. Choudzin
replied that she did not entertain
such an idea for moment. and addressing
herself to me, she added: In Russia people
have become SO euarded'- She did not
end her sentence, for suddenly strange sounds
Of muslc, coming from the open door Of the
drawing room, filed the air / looked back
and saw LIMA sitting at the piano How
wonderful was her music, Never before had
I heard e combination of sounds with such
singular, bizarre, now complaining now
and almost moaning color of tune
Now she dragged and prolonged the measure
SO that it sounded Ike the moaning Of the
wind; but then she tumbled and hurried it,
making me think that | was listening 10 a
cataract OF tones. | felt puzzled and capti-
waited, but at the same time l enjoyed the
music. Slowly the wrath or passion Of the
fair pianist subsidized. the music assumed a
certain color of cslmEess, and the tones began
to hop on the key board like ignes fatui over
q stsgnnnt surface Of lake.
/ remained with the Nihilstie fsmily-for I
sll. even the old lady, entertained revolu- /
lionsry idess-until late in the afternoon. /
Svstloff's honest face frightened more and I
inors during the flow or his elcqusnce
Linas father. he said, wss q colonel in the .
Russian ARMY. He died at P,evna during
the last Russo Turkish war, leaving ms fam
ly in good circumstances Besides, the cid
adv was pensioued BY the government.
Lina's sister, a genial young lady, died in a
,ell at the fortress Of st. Petersburg, width
er she had been sent for afSliation with the
Sihilistic movement. Lima herself, though
girl Of 20 years had already also lad an op-
10 inhale prison air. She had OBJ
aimed the position Of teacher in a village.
md because she dared TO ovsrstsp the limits
prescribed by the government, because she
augnt tho peasant boys ard girls not only
. read and write, bur told them stories from
.ncient and modern history, she was sus-
l-cted Of Nlhilsm. arrested and kept in /
prison FOR three months -Russla Cor Chi
ago News
A Back Yard Boom.
"What are you doing, Tommy asked
sioux Falls lady Of her young son who was